Soil is an extremely heterogeneous substratum, site of numerous and important processes of the terrestrial ecosystems, but still now little known, in particular for the microbial communities biodiversity. Different studies have been performed on climate effect on the microorganisms activity, while very little is known around the effects of the different plant cover on the soil microbial activity and/or on its biodiversity, especially in Mediterranean maquis of the South Italy. The aim of this work was to verify if the different plant cover is able to modify the soil microbial activity. It has been measured the respiration and some enzymes activity on the soil collected under Cistus and Myrtus shrubs, two kinds typical of the maquis, and the litter decomposition dynamics of Cistus and Myrtus. In addition to a remarkable spatial variability, the data showed for the two different shrubs, during the year, a different enzymes expression as well as a respiration much more variable in the Cistus soil. Besides the different decomposition dynamics of the Cistus litter incubated under the two types of shrubs suggests the presence of a different microbial community.
Microbial activity of soil with different plant cover in Mediterranean area
PAPA, Stefania;FIORETTO, Antonietta
2007
Abstract
Soil is an extremely heterogeneous substratum, site of numerous and important processes of the terrestrial ecosystems, but still now little known, in particular for the microbial communities biodiversity. Different studies have been performed on climate effect on the microorganisms activity, while very little is known around the effects of the different plant cover on the soil microbial activity and/or on its biodiversity, especially in Mediterranean maquis of the South Italy. The aim of this work was to verify if the different plant cover is able to modify the soil microbial activity. It has been measured the respiration and some enzymes activity on the soil collected under Cistus and Myrtus shrubs, two kinds typical of the maquis, and the litter decomposition dynamics of Cistus and Myrtus. In addition to a remarkable spatial variability, the data showed for the two different shrubs, during the year, a different enzymes expression as well as a respiration much more variable in the Cistus soil. Besides the different decomposition dynamics of the Cistus litter incubated under the two types of shrubs suggests the presence of a different microbial community.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
